pragma wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 4:46 pm
And, double checking, the bronze helmet cancels out or 1 skill penalty, right?
Right, I overlooked that thanks.
Carmen consumes a meal and his Potion of Fortune. STAMINA is now at 13, and LUCK is now at 11.
As you make your way across the web, you notice that some strands are sticky and some are not - the Spider obviously uses the non-sticky strands to retrieve prey that has been caught on the sticky ones. You must try to avoid the sticky strands as you investigate the bodies. Roll two dice - you may subtract 2 points from the amount rolled if you have SPOT HIDDEN skill. If the result is equal to your SKILL score or less, turn to 382; if not, turn to 222.
Dice roll = 9-2 = 7 (Success).
Carefully cutting the spider-silk from around the body, you find that it is indeed human. You avoid the face - you don't want to find out whether it's anyone you know - and concentrate on looking for usable equipment. You find a backpack with enough Provisions for two meals, but that is all. You decide that you can't face investigating the other bodies, and resume your climb to 341.
Ok, the book doesn't state that there's a maximum limit to Provisions (most of the earlier books don't), but Provisions also count as backpack items, so I don't think we should be allowed to carry more than the default 10 without taking up extra space.
In this case, I will resolve this by having Carmen consume the extra meal, since he's still 3 STAMINA points away from max. If you prefer to keep the extra meal instead, let me know, but note that
I'm going to rule that every 10 meals takes up 1 backpack space, so 11 meals with occupy 2 (having drunk our potion, we'll still be able to take it).
At the top of the shaft, another passage leads away. As you follow the passage, it gets damper and damper, until moisture is running down the walls and the walls and ceiling are coated with occasional patches of mould. Finally, the passage comes to an end. The wall at the end is covered with a thick coating of bright yellow mould, which looks almost like the fur of some strange animal. There seems to be no way onward, but you are sure there must be a hidden exit - you've seen more than one apparent dead end already. If you have SPOT HIDDEN skill, turn to 88. If you do not, turn to 378.
You notice something glinting in the blanket of mould that covers the end of the passage. Looking closer, you see that it is metal - part of a doorknob, by the look of it. You reach to turn the doorknob, and then you see something else. To one side of the door that must be underneath all the mould, there is a lump which you thought was just an irregularity in the rock. But as you look more closely, you can see that it is a body. The mould has grown over it and obscured its shape, but it is definitely a body. You stop and think. You remember hearing somewhere that there are types of mould which fire clouds of spores into the air the moment that anything disturbs them. The spores are poisonous, and cause death almost instantly, giving the mould a fresh supply of organic matter to grow on. The problem is, you have to open the door without destroying the mould.
If you have PICK POCKET skill, turn to 197. If not, what will you do? Will you try to burn the mould away with your torch, or cover your nose and mouth, charge the door and hope for the best?
We pass the skill, check, therefore avoiding having to choose another potentially more risky way.
You reach cautiously for the doorknob, and manage to get a three-fingered grip on it without disturbing the mould. Slowly, painfully slowly, you begin to turn it, praying that the door isn't locked. There is a slight click, and the door shifts a fraction. Holding your breath, you throw the door open and run through the dense mustard-coloured cloud of spores that suddenly fills the air, and into a small chamber. You don't stop to breathe until you are well clear of the spore-cloud.
You find a passage leading out of the chamber and hurry down it, eager to escape the spores. The passage forks, and you can see a number of turnings leading off from each side of either passage, like a maze. Do you have a map? If you have, turn to 362; if not, turn to 81.
Oh no, we're trapped in a maze with no navigation aid!
On instinct, you set off down the left-hand passage, but you are not sure which is the right way, and soon you realize that you are lost in a maze of tunnels. Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, turn 178. If you are Unlucky, turn to 370.
I am ever so glad that this is not one of those books that wastes sections of random featureless mazes like so many other gamebooks seem to be fond of. Just a single LUCK test to resolve this...and we only just boosted ours with a potion!
Dice roll =7 (Lucky)!
You finally come to a small chamber, carved out of the bedrock, and devoid of ornament except for the occasional patch of bluish-green mould growing on the walls and ceiling. In the middle of the chamber there is a chest on the floor, flanked by two statues of armed warriors, apparently carved from some kind of translucent crystal. On the other side of the room is a door. As you approach the chest, one of the crystal statues starts to move. It draws a slim, needle-like sword of crystal, and steps between you and the chest. You must fight the Crystal Warrior.
CRYSTAL WARRIOR SKILL 10 STAMINA 13
When you win a round of combat, turn to 169.
COMBAT LOG:
Crystal Warrior 19, Carmen Garrett 20,
If you are using a stone axe, the Crystal Warrior is wounded. Conduct the rest of the combat normally.
CRYSYAL WARRIOR SKILL 10 STAMINA 11
If you are using any other kinds of weapon, the CRYSTAL WARRIOR is unharmed. You realize that you need a blunt weapon to wound it. Conduct the rest of the combat using the pommel of your sword, deducting 2 points from your Attack Strength. If you win, turn to 99.
Another weird case of retroactively asking what the player did
after it was already done when he doesn't know he had the choice to do something different. Well, nonetheless, I'd say possessing the axe ought to be enough to assume that we did use it.
COMBAT CONTINUES:
CW 17, CG 16. CG is at 14.
CW 18, CG 21. CW is at 9.
CW 18, CG 15. CG is at 12.
CW 20, CG 16. CG is at 10.
CW 16, CG 19. CW is at 7.
CW 14, CG 19. CW is at 5.
CW 20, CG 20. Tie.
CW 16, CG 20. CW is at 3.
CW 15, CG 16. CW is at 1.
CW 21, CG 14. CG is at 8.
CW 19, CG 20. CW is defeated.
Without the Magic Sword's bonus, it was an even fight, and Carmen was fortunate enough to emerge victorious with half his STAMINA left!
The first Crystal Warrior lies shattered on the floor. You watch the second closely, but it does not move. You take a look at the chest; it is securely locked. Turn to 360 if you have PICK LOCK skill. If not, you cannot open the chest. Leave the room and turn to 316.
As you pick the lock, a jolt of electricity lashes up your arm and throws you across the room - lose 4 STAMINA points. If you are still alive, you open the chest. Inside is a disc of black obsidian, almost a food across and so highly polished it reflects the light of your torch like a mirror. You reach in to take it. Turn to 182 if you have SPOT HIDDEN skill. If you do not, turn to 20.
If we did not consume the extra meal earlier, we would be a 1 STAMINA! If we did, we'd be at 4 now.
You see that the disc is resting on a fine silver wire, which runs out of the chest and connects to the ankle of the second Crystal Warrior. What will you so? Will you cut the wire, try to lift the disc without setting off the trap (if you have PICK POKCET skill, turn to 208; if you do not, turn to 49), or will you leave it alone and go to the door?
A last, we have a choice again!
Adventure Sheet:
[spoiler]Name: Carmen Garrett
SKILL 11/11 (+1 from Bronze Helmet)
STAMINA 4/16
LUCK 10/11
Special Skills: Spot Hidden, Sneak, Pick Pocket
Backpack Items:
1) Provisions (10 meals)
2)
3) Rope and grapnel (gives CLIMB Special Skill)
4) Bottle of Brandy (3 doses, +2 STAMINA each, worth 1 GP)
5) Heavy wire with hook
6) Stone Axe
Other Items: Shortsword, leather jerkins and leggings, torch, hand-lamp, tinderbox, dagger, lock-picks (gives PICK LOCK Special Skill), key marked with the letter 'L', Magical Longsword (+1 Attack Strength in the next round after winning a combat round), Bronze Helmet (+1 SKILL), throwing knife
Provisions: 10
Gold & Treasure: 39 GP, silver paper-knife (5 GP)
Clues:
1) Look in a place of sleep and a place of work to find dark place of death where we will find what we're looking for (section 289)
2) Brass recently bought a piece of land called Barrow Hill; the Wizard Barbantius "refitted" it according to Brass's instructions (section 90)
3) Wizard "fitted out" Brass's property on Barrow Hill. 'E.O.B' penciled on ledger of Barrow Hill's purchase by Brass (section 335)
[/spoiler]